Obedience. KEEP READING, I know this seems like a sucky topic ;) but it's one of my favorites...

I am really loving this, this morning:

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."  Isaiah 30:21

I think it's speaking to me so much because for the past year I've been really thinking about just obeying Him.  Just doing that.  A few years ago, I read a quote by Rick Warren that changed my life. 

"God doesn't owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can't. Instant obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussions. In fact, you will never understand some commands until you obey them first. Obedience unlocks understanding."

Man, it takes the pressure off.  I like someone else steering the boat.  Actually, I wish HE DID steer the boat, but He tells ME which way to turn the wheel and I have to obey and do it.  Free will and all...  Not think about it and figure out if He's right (oh man, I feel silly even typing that OF COURSE He's right even if it doesn't feel like it).  The more I read His Word and the more I talk to Him the more I can discern whether or not it's God or me speaking.  Or the world.  Or commercials.  Or well meaning people who love me (and sorry guys your voice isn't the one I need to hear).  Or even, GASP, my Pastor.  


We had a bible study at Celebration when we first started going where someone (probably me) asked how you can really know that the "voice" you are hearing is God's when you don't hear a voice at all.   I figured Pastor Steve would kind of hem haw around the subject and tell us we should just know, but he didn't!  He told us the more we read HIS WORD (yep, the INSPIRED WORD OF GOD...makes sense) the more we would know what He sounds like.  The more we talked with him daily, hourly, minute by minute the more we would know...uh huh, WHAT HE SOUNDS LIKE.  

BOOM!

Revelation people!  That made so much sense to me that I still laugh about it.  Of course!  Just get to know his voice and you'll know what it sounds like.  I know Isaac's voice so well that I don't ever have to question whether it's him speaking or not, yee-haw, even from 'cross the Wal Mart!  In fact, I was so in love with him so soon and wanted and needed and YEARRRRRRNED to speak with him 24/7 that I got to know his voice and the types of things he would say pretty darn fast.  

Ok, apply that people...

Since I sorta got off topic, I'm going to bring it back around.  LEARN his voice by getting to know Him.  Then...yeah...obey it.  Back to the scripture at the top 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."  Isaiah 30:21

Don't look to the right or to the left, keep your eyes on your future, your purpose.  Don't know what it is?  Another word from Pastor Steve, MOVE ANYWAY.  Do SOMETHING, anything for the kingdom of God, even if you don't know what to do, just do the right thing.  Clean toilets, change diapers in the nursery, donate clothes, sort said clothes, make phone calls, be nice to people and MOVE THE HECK FORWARD.   You probably won't go wrong and if ya do, God can turn anything around and use everything you did on the wrong path for His good.  AMAZING?  YES!  That's muh God!

"Your ears will hear a voice behind you."  So, get to know that voice, move forward and do good.  And do I even have to tell you?  Come to Celebration Church and do these things with us if you don't have a home church.  We are home.  If you hate church and refuse to come, then just come to our informal Bible study and start to learn.  We want you in the body of Christ, it doesn't have to be in our building. 

The last thing that REALLY, really made me smile about the scripture was:

"this is the way; walk in it."  

It's not "this is the way; let me carry you across the threshold and do it all for you." 

He's all GIRL PLEASE, I've shown you the way now get on with it.  Haha, well not exactly, but he's not going to do it all for us, we have to get on with the VERBing in life and do it.  Being shown the way is most of the battle for me.  Once I know it's from Him, I can do anything and feel confident in it. 
  


It's never too late to start or to get on the right path.  Don't think about the years you haven't done this, just do it now.  

So today, whenever today is that you're reading this, make a promise to yourself to get to know what He sounds like (read ya bible, talk to Him however you feel comfortable) and then listen for His voice.  Then guess what?  Obey it.  I figure you don't need allllllll of those words up there to come to this conclusion, but how a lot of people like to hear their own voice, I like to see my own words.  Apparently.  

Much love,

C

I'm adding this devotional that is REALLY good.  I know some people don't love Rick Warren, but for whatever reason his way of writing and his love and fear of God really speak to me, so if you don't like him in general, throw that away for a minute and read this: 

http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=4408